Kerala Syrian Christian Style Mutton

Mutton that’s left to sit in a marinade and then cooked in a specific variety of spices, with coconut bits added to the mix, and served with rice or roti, is roughly a Kerala Syrian Christian Style Mutton. To make it, one needs to keep in mind the different components. For the marinade, one needs mutton, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper, turmeric, salt, and vinegar. For the coconut paste, one needs coconut bits, salt, turmeric powder, and oil. Other ingredients needed for the cooking include oil, onion, chilli, and curry leaves.

Kerala’s Syrian Christians have a unique palette, with their food being inspired by the West. Christianity came to India in 52 AD with St Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. The converts were called Syrian Christians and their cuisine uses local spices and traditional cooking methods but with a strong influence from the West. For instance, the Portuguese sailors brought with them the concept of thick soups and broths, adding cornflour to achieve the desired thickness. While the concept of the dish stayed, in Kerala its thickness is manipulated with thick and thin coconut milk. Similarly, meats like mutton, instead of being roasted on a rotisserie, acquired a simpler twist. Meat is first partially cooked in the cooker, then cooked in a pan with spices and often, coconut, giving the dish its unique taste. It's the presence of the coconut that really makes the community’s cooking stand apart, making it distinctly local.

Mutton also comes with several health benefits. Being low in saturated fats and calories, and high in protein, which helps build muscle mass, it may aid weight loss, depending on one’s lifestyle. It's high in iron which boosts immunity and is rich in Vitamin B12, which aids in the cells’ energy production. Its high potassium content also regulates blood pressure and maintains cell functions.